1. Field
The present invention relates to an improved golf practice device. Practicing in accurate way with a suitable practice device is an important factor for a golf player to acquire proficiency.
2. Prior Art
A leading expert in the field of golf observed that millions of dollars annually spent on equipment does not seem to correspond to any improvement in the average handicap of golfers. This expert also noted that golf swing instruction is similarly unconnected to such improvement. The problem is that even with a golf swing that looks just perfect, a player may not have the point of impact under exact control. For example, even with a perceptively perfect swing, if a golfer misses the sweet spot by as little as 15 mm, the ball will change its direction and there will be less power delivered to the ball. The key to improving a golf handicap is training designed to improve precision in the point of impact such that the sweet spot on the golf club is consistently hit.
Learning golf is a step by step process. One should start with the shape of the swing, than work on solid impact—sweet spot precision, and finally strive for precision to the target. Training devices have been built to provide a means for practicing all the steps at once, however they were not satisfactory, except for settings that require a lot of space and costly high-tech technology.
My improved golf practice device focuses predominantly only on the first two steps of the golf training process, namely shape of the swing and precision at impact, and is optimized for this purpose. This makes it superior in relation to the prior art in this category of golf training devices.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,929,632 which issued Mar. 22, 1960, entitled “Golf Practice Device”, is a relatively simple exercising device including an elongate base as the artificial golf course; an L-shaped support projecting upwardly; a pulley which is rotatably mounted on the outer end portion of the horizontal section of support; a flexible cord on the pulley; a lightweight captive plastic ball, of perforated construction is supported on the lower end of the cord. The disadvantage of this device is that when the golf player hits the ball, it rotates around its axis for considerable time and has to be stopped by the golfer manually in order to bring it into initial position. This takes time and it distracts golfer's concentration. Another disadvantage is that it uses a lightweight plastic ball which does not give the player an authentic feel of a real golf ball at impact.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,654 issued to Hall on Feb. 9, 1972, comprises a ball mounted on an arm which permits rotation of the ball when it is struck by a golf club. The arm includes a counting means and indicator for the projected distance the ball would travel. The arm also includes a braking means and an angular member. The latter has fingers remote from the arm which provide an indication as to whether or not the ball proceeded in the desired direction. The disadvantage is that the device includes complicated mechanism liable to be damaged when hitting the ball with full speed. Further disadvantage is that the ball rotates a number of times around its axis taking considerable time to reset itself into initial position.
A common failing in the prior art is that they include interruptions between player's practice strokes causing concentration loss, are not built strongly enough to facilitate full speed drives, and do not use a standard golf ball for authentic feel at impact. Thus, although the prior art has been in existence for many years, there is still no widely accepted practice device which enables a golf player to practice in a simple environment.